S322 Pearl
by ZenosParadox
Summary: RS. Sato give Reed a talisman as they face separate missions in the Expanse. Missing scene for The Council, Episode 22, season 3.


Title: S322 Pearl Author: ZenosParadox Rating: PG  
Summary: RS. Reed and Sato face their misgivings about the missions ahead. Missing scenes for The Council, Episode 22, season 3.  
Notes: Mild spoilers for the Council, 3 pages. Written May 17, 2004. Disclaimer: The characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.  
  
PEARL  
  
Reed and Sato looked to each other as was their habit once the Captain had completed briefing them on the upcoming assignments. Two critical missions were about to be simultaneously deployed and this time, the linguist was to play a major role in dealing with the Xindi.   
  
Reed hung back after the others left and called her name softly. "Hoshi."  
  
She turned with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Malcolm. I'm ready for this."  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that I have confidence in you," he offered a bit diffidently.  
  
"Well, thank you." Then Sato rubbed her hands and admitted, "Actually, I guess I am a little nervous about this. My missions in the Expanse don't have the best track record. I got devolved in one case and held captive in another."  
  
"Rest assured that I--that we would come after you," said Reed. "Of course, we won't know about the success of your mission while we're on the sphere."  
  
Sato squeezed his arm gently, "I don't want you worrying about me. Your assignment is likely to be just as dangerous."  
  
"It won't be the same without you on the other side of the comm line. I've grown accustomed to your voice," explained Reed with his characteristic half-smile. "Ever since Trip and I were stuck on Shuttlepod One, it's the sound of your voice that makes me feel that everything is going to be all right."  
  
Sato blinked in surprise. Reed's confession touched her heart and made her feel strong. It was the best declaration of faith in her abilities he could have offered. "You'll hear my voice again, Malcolm. I bet the Captain and I will be back on Enterprise before you are."  
  
Reed just nodded at her reassurance, but then she said, "Wait. Come with me for a minute. I want to give you something."  
  
-----  
  
Malcolm followed Hoshi to her quarters without a clue as to what she intended to give him. It wouldn't do to imbibe Andorian ale at this time and there was no time to cook. He blushed a little as he considered what else they wouldn't have time for and chided himself for thinking such thoughts about a fellow officer. Granted, she was a very beautiful, bright and desirable officer. He slipped into the quarters behind Hoshi in full control of his wandering thoughts.   
  
Hoshi pulled open a drawer and withdrew a small wooden box. She had a sweet smile as she opened the lid and reviewed the contents. The box was full of pearls, most still connected to one of two strings, but with several loose pearls lying on top of the white nest. She walked toward Malcolm with a smile on her face.  
  
"Here." Hoshi removed a white sphere and put it into the palm of his hand. She removed one more and held it between her fingers, although she now closed the lid on the box and set it on the table.   
  
"Why do you have these pearls out here with you?" asked Malcolm. He knew she was very particular about her possessions. These pearls were certain to have a story.  
  
"These were my grandmother's pearls. When she died, my grandfather broke the string in his grief. My mother collected the pearls knowing he would be upset when he realized what he had done. She tried to give them back to him, but he told her that they were mine. I promised him I'd always keep the pearls."  
  
"It's beautiful, Hoshi." Malcolm looked at the orb in his had. "So these pearls are a connection to your family?"  
  
"They've been passed down since before the Meiji era when cultured pearls were developed. The family legend is that one of a Tokagawa shoguns gave them as a gift to a samurai for the man's wife. The woman's quick thinking had prevented a catastrophic battle." Hoshi was almost blushing. "It's probably an exaggeration of events."  
  
"No, I can see where the fighting spirit continues to live in your family," assured Malcolm. He inspected this small pearl that had so much history behind it. It was almost perfect, but this particular one had just a hint of asymmetry. "Funny, I thought pearls were perfectly round."  
  
"Most of the pearls on the string are round, but nature makes them less than perfect like the cultured pearls we have today. But in Japan, we can see imperfections as enhancing beauty." Hoshi looked at Malcolm and added, "It's true about how we see people as well."  
  
Malcolm averted his gaze as he felt the blush appearing on his face. He asked out of curiosity, "Why haven't you had them restrung?"  
  
"Oh, I will once I get married. It's like a wedding gift to myself. In the meantime, I keep the promise to my grandfather and always carry them with me."  
  
"I see," said Malcolm. His mind provided a perfect image of Hoshi in a white kimono with the string of pearls at her throat. He extended his hand to give the pearl back to her. "Thank you for sharing the story with me."  
  
Hoshi merely clasped the pearl she had in her hand and closed his hand around the one she had given him. "I want you to take it. You can give it back to me when see each other again after our mission."  
  
Malcolm looked at her in disbelief, but saw that she unzipped the pocket of her uniform and slipped her pearl inside. She frowned when she saw he still held his. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I was out of line thinking that--"  
  
"No, no, you weren't out of line, Ensign. Thank you for the talisman," said Malcolm as he, too, unzipped his pocket and allowed the pearl to nestle next to his heart. "I intend to return it without harm."  
  
"Good, then, until we see each other again, I trust you to keep it safe."  
  
= = = = = = = =  
  
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... Lieutenant Reed felt the words echoing in his mind as he sat in the shuttlepod on their way back to Enterprise. He had not been able to save Hawkins this time and carried the weight of that failure. T'Pol's words helped him find perspective, but his thoughts wandered to the other mission and its success.   
  
He patted the breast pocket of his uniform and found the small indentation that signified the pearl. He closed his eyes and thought about finding Hoshi safely back on their ship, patiently waiting for him to return it. The thought gave him some measure of peace. It would be his last comforting thought for some time.  
  
  
  
Author Notes:  
  
I really didn't have much to work with in the episode, so I created my own "cliffhanger." The pearl is a point of reference for the next three stories.  
  
Thanks for reading. No reviews are necessary. 


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